That is your name
by TiraFaeMyths
Summary: Hermione and Draco return to hogwarts for their final year as head girl and boy. Love for the heroes always prevails in every fairy tale, but what if this love is bringing the shadows with it?
1. Being observant is key

**Disclaimer: I own nothing! NOTHING! Bisbee x**

Hermione walked down the train, her robes decorated with the new head girl badge. As she went by first years would wave at her or whisper to their friends about her, older years would greet her and some would scowl. All she had to do was look them in the eye to show them their place.

She slid the door open to the heads compartment and flopped onto the seats, tried from having to get up so early and talk to Ginny for the past three hours about nothing and everything, thaey hadn't seen each other for the summer, Hermione reprimanded herself. But that girl never shut up! She'd had to leave their compartment because Ron was sucking the face off Lavender. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't forget her feelings for the red-headed, hot tempered boy. They had been through too much to was lost in her thoughts and did not notice the blonde head sitting across from her.

"This is the heads compartment, Granger, only the heads are allowed in here" Draco sneered. Hermione sat up, and raised an eyebrow and tapped her badge.

"Being observant is key, Malfoy, if you're going to be head boy." He just looked away out the window,

"I have better things to do than look at you, Beaver,"At that point Hermione showed such a Slytherin like smirk that Malfoy's jaw dropped slightly. At least some things will never change, she thought to herself.

"Close your mouth Malfoy, you'll catch flies."

…

They reached the head dorms after the welcome dinner. McGonagall's speech wasn't quite as exciting or random as Dumbledore's. The older years hung their heads and had blank expressions on their faces, remembering those who had fallen, not really paying attention to the headmistress. The magnificent throne Dumbledor had once sat in was empty. Each teacher sat as they had before the school had been destroyed. After the head students had sent the prefects on their way to the common rooms with the bumbling first years, Mcgongall lead them to their rooms.

The heads dorms were warm and vast, a small kitchen to the side and two bedrooms across from each other with a conjoined bathroom. The decorators had ignored house colours, trying to promote house unity. A small smile played on the red lips of the bushy haired head girl.

Hermione walked into her room, walking straight past Malfoy, and started to personalise. Highlighted timetables, passages from books were stuck up around the room along with sheet music of muggle songs. Open books scattered the floor and various hair products took over the shelves of the bathrooms. No matter after how long, her hair was still as wild and untamed. Hermione was tacking up sheet music when she heard a call from the bathroom.

"Hermione! How much space do you need for your crap? I'm moving it!" Hermione dropped the sheets she was holding and Draco walked into her room with an armful of her products dumping them on her bed. Her jaw was hanging open slightly. "Shut your mouth Hermione, you'll catch flies," he made his way out when she whispered

"You just called me Hermione" He stopped looked over his shoulder and said

"Well that is your name, isn't it Granger?" and with that he left.


	2. Are you quite finished?

...

Hermione was sure the teachers were trying to destroy her. Every class she had been partnered with Malfoy, making her life living hell. Something about house unity. She hadn't listen to that god awful crap and was just trying to figure out how the hell she was going to survive. There constant bickering meant that she was not fully concentrating(well, as far as not concentrating goes for Hermione Granger) and that projects were going all wrong. Just the other day in potions they had both ended up looking like cartoon Einsteins with black faces and static hair, it was embarassing to say the least, Hermione Granger never ruined anything. Naturally it was all Malfoy's fault. Thankfully, all lessons had been merged with Ginny's year, as their weren't many returning to Hogwarts to comlete their final year.

Today their first lesson was DADA, and they had been forced together again. Hermione was determined to succeed in this subject, after all, if she didn't it would be a disgrace. She was one of the golden trio for goodness sakes! not that that made much of a difference anymore now that the war was over. Anyway, Malfoy wouldn't mess it up for her, she wouldn't let him.

They were sent off to complete their tasks in pairs, practising blocking hexes. Malfoy walked over to stand opposite her and just sat casually on the floor.

"Are you going to send a hex at me or not? Are you going to move your good for nothing lazy backside or will I have to do it for you?" She knew it was a bit harsh but the frustration usually got him to move. suddenly a shot of water shot towards her but she defended it easily. "Is that all you got?" she challenged. In a flash he was standing an inch away from her. He had an almost pitying look on in his eyes but his jaw was set. She wanted to slap him for that look in his eyes. She would not be pitied.

"You think that's all I've got after fighting a war Hermione? I just wouldn't want to hurt you, I've hurt you enough already" he said quietly, gripping her lower arm, where her scar from his aunt was. Hermione didn't know whether to be furious that he thought she was unable of blocking a spell or… She didn't know what the 'or' was. To say the least she was confused. Why would he say that when he had always called her that name? The name that tatooed her arm, that was her battle scar. The name that wasn't her own.

"Are you two quite finished?" McGonagall called, and they realised the whole class was snickering at their close proximity. Hermione ignored the class but couldn't help but feel that McGonagall sounded like Mary Poppins when she spoke like that. Malfoy stalked off throwing a hex over his shoulder, Hermione easily blocking it. She furrowed her brow and bit her lip, concentrating on both the duel that she and Malfoy were semi-consciously having and the thing that Malfoy had just siad to her. Bloody hell, life couldn't get any more confusing.

...

Until lunch Hermione had been avoiding Draco's gaze. It was almost painful to admit that Malfoy had the slightest bit of compassion. She had been crucioied and not that…scared... how the hell could a weak cowardice ferret have that effect? It wasn't as if no one had said her name before. But not like that- wait, what was she doing? she had to stop thinking these things. The great hall was full as Hermione made her way over to the slytherin table, rubbing an apple on her shirt sleeve. It was an old habit, that Ron was befuddled by.

As she reached the slytherin table many eyes were on her. Pansy was glaring and Blaise looked confused, to say the least. Probably the first time in history that a gryffiondor has gone to this side of the hall, Hermione thought to herself, making the corners of her mouth turn up ever so slightly. She finally came to a stop opposite the head boy.

"Draco, McGonagall wants to talk to us about the prefect rounds, she wants to have it over and done with by the end of this lunch time. Well aren't you going to move?" Malfoy had gone quiet.

"You just called me Draco." Blaise was shaking his head slightly in disbelief and Pansy looked as if she were about to faint. It was just a name, but it was nice to know it wasn't only her that was affected by a simple word.

"That is your name isn't it Malfoy?" she replied with a smirk. She bit into her apple and turned on her heels, walking away, swinging her hips.

"Not one that you're entitled to use," she heard. She tried to keep calm. She could she Ginny laughing at the whole spectacle and Ron turning beetroot coloured. Harry was simply smiling and rolled his eyes at her.

She looked over her shoulder at Malfoy, who didn't seem to have any intention of moving. "Well? Are you coming or not?" He scowled and rose striding past her. It was all Hermione could do not to laugh.


	3. The canary sings

...

Draco walked into the heads common room, after a long detention. How Hermione had got out of it he would never know- it was from the potions incident. Teacher's pet. Incessant know-it-all. Annoyingly try-to-be-nice, really sweet- he had to stop there before it got out of hand. He had tried to stop picking on her. He wanted to try and forget how horrid he had been and make it up to her. He'd wanted them to be friends from the start- though his father and slapped him when he told him-

_"I won't have any son of mine associating with a girl like that!" Lucius had yelled, terrifying little 11 year old Draco. A stinging slap reddened his cheek._

_"Will you talk to her son?" His voice had gone impossibly quiet, his expression was hard and the hatred in his eyes made the watery blue irises look as if they'd turned to ice._

_"No, Father" young Draco said, hanging his head._  
_"Don't shy away, boy, it's weakness-"_  
_"-And Malfoy's dont' have a weakness" the poor boy finished._

- But now his father was in Azkaban he wouldn't have to worry. He could befirend Hermione- if she would let him, after all, she had no reason to, he had been horrid to her all these years. He sat-more fell- onto one of the plush armchairs in the common room and bought out a parchment for his latest essay. He had no hope in concentrating, with these memories plaguing his mind, and producing a good essay(that's right, not only Hermione Granger cared about good grades!) so he set it down and fell asleep. He woke and heard music coming in from the other room, but it wasn't wizard music, it was muggle music- he had to go and find the source. He padded his way towards the cound, and found himself outside Hermione's bedroom. The door was half open and he leaned against the door frame, listening to her. She was singing with tears streaking down her face and was strumming a guitar- he hadn't even known she could play. She had a highlighted page in front of her with the words but she didn't seem to need it. He could spot where it fit on the wall.

_If a "Happy Ever After" wasn't lies,_  
_You would have your hand over my heart,_  
_And all those romances are full of shit_  
_One more fucking love song, I'll be sick._ -

That was possibly the first time he's heard Granger swear, he almost laughed at the thought  
_  
__Your heart turned stone cold,__  
__I tried to keep the tears at bay,  
__I gave you my love to hold,__  
__And you just threw it away._

_You cannot expect me to be alright,_  
_I don't expect you to_

_care-_

Her voice broke and she couldn't go on. She turned her tear streaked face to him "Did you know that muggle miners sent a canary into the mine before, if it sang it would mean it was safe. I was their canary for all those years." The blonde boy stood there, shocked. Draco knew exactly what Hermione was talking about- well, the metaphor anyway. The time she had sunk into the Devil's Snare first. She had drank the polyjuice potion first- with devastating consequences. She had become Bellatrix Lestrange. She had been totured.

"You sing-"

"Please leave. I don't even know why I'm taking to you, you don't care."

"I-"

"Are you deaf as well?" She yelled.

Draco respected her wish but said loudly enough for Hermione to hear as he closed his bedroom door  
"I was just going to tell you that you have a beautiful voice."

...

Hermione dragged the guitar out from under her bed. The old instrument was her secret. She loved the way that every subtle movement changed the tone of a piece, she loved she could make it her own.

Shpreferred out of the bedroom door, checking whether anyone was there. Satisfied that Malfoy had disappeared off to detention, she picked up the fragile guitar. She picked a piece on the wall at random and silently wandlessly called it to her. She knew she wouldn't need it, it wasn't practise, but it was more for the comfort than the music,. She postitioned her guitar on her knee, her elbow loosely hanging over it so she could strum the strings. At first it was slow, simple recollection, and then it got louder, and faster, and soon she was singing, lost in the melody that filled her ears.

she hadn't realised she had chosen the song until she was singing. She had been in the Gryffindor common room before. All she could she was happy couples, looking into each others eyes, as if they were the only ones peer sent in the universe. Hermione had felt jealous. It should have been her with Rob, an d. Yet, here she was, strumming until her fingers were raw. She had always known she was the odd one out, she had been the despensable one all those years, like the miner's canaries. When she was youngershe fooled herself into believing it was because she was bravest in the group. It had worn off all too soon. Never, would have been a good time for the realisation. She heard footsteps, she didn't care. If it was Malfoy he would insist she stopped "racket" she would snort and play louder.

The conversation that had happened caused her eyes to burn with tears. She didn't know wether it was out of confusion or the embarrassment of crying in front of someone. That someone being her only competition as it was.

Draco Malfoy had been a case study for hermione. His sense of power, his intelligence… and then he had called her something she was ashamed to repeat. She had researched the word. She had sat in front of the book that had shown her the meaning, her clenched, her jaw set, a fiery determination was seen in the eleven year olds eyes. From that moment on the 'royalty boy' was not a Case study, he was not a possible friend, he was Hermione's drive to be the best, he was competition. And competition did not go down well with Hermione Granger.

…

Hey, Have been told that I cannot use copyrighted lyrics so am rewriting stuff to the tunes. Will leave hints of the song or write what they are flat out. That was Payphone, Maroon 5


	4. Hermione Granger

….

The sobs turned into whimpers and the whimpers turned into screams of pain. Draco silencioed the dorms and then cautiously made his way to Hermione's room, wand in his pyjama pocket. What was the muggle saying? Old habits die hard. Hermione was there writhing in her bed clutching her arm over the word. He made his way over to her, not wanting to startle her from her sleep. He had to be careful and gentle, no matter how much he wanted the screaming to stop. He knew exactly what she was dreaming about, the same dream haunted him, the pain was the same, but his was not physical, not like Hermione's pain. Nothing compared to her pain.

He called her name and held her hand, squeezing it, trying to bring her back to the now. He couldn't think reality, that had been reality. She wouldn't wake up but the screaming was less constant. He called and called but nothing. He lifted her into his lap, hoping the physical call would wake her, but nothing.

He was good at occulamancy. He could fix her dream. He could stop the pain, if he was brave enough to rewatch the scene willingly. He wasn't. He shook his head. He had to do this.

_A green flash hit her. The cackling and repetition of the word stopped, though it rang in her ears. "Mudblood, mudblood, mudblood!"Her crazed face disappeared and disintergrated as her master had. Bellatrix Lestrange had never died before Hermione in the dream, but she did now. The pain subsided. She was bought into the strong arms of … she couldn't tell. It was the person that killed HER. The person was her saviour. She knew that.  
"Shhhhh Hermione, you need to wake up now, it's not real, not real, not real."  
She tried to open her eyes, she knew that voice. It wasn't Harry's or Ron's. But she knew that voice. She knew it like she knew her own name._

She woke to find Draco Malfoy cradling her head and looking into her eyes, rocking her to consciousness. She went to sit up, the sudden movement caused them to hit heads. Draco looked slightly dazed but smiled. The first genuine smile she'd ever seen on his face. –Wait, when did he become Draco?-since he saved her-Her conscience battled. They were close now, too close. Her face closed in to his. He leaned in- But then pulled away.

"Not now Hermione- I won't. Not now." He got up and left. She pouted when he turned to check she was ok. He laughed; it was music to her ears. "Sleep well Granger." She snorted.

"Night Malfoy."

…

She couldn't sleep. The nightmares would plague her mind if she did. But she was so tried… When she was younger she would drag herself and teddy to her parents' room and snuggle between them. But they weren't here now. They were gone. Forever. The closest she had was Malfoy.

She slid out of her bed and tiptoed towards Draco's room, trying to cover more of her legs with her pyjama shorts-and failing. Draco knew she had woken up and was making her way to his room. Years at the manor made him a light sleeper. He would go to his mother's room when he was younger, dragging his teddy with him and would snuggle up to her if he had a bad dream. He knew that was what she had come for. She stood at his door asking permission to come in. He slid over and made room for her, showing that she was welcome.

Hermione slid in to his bed and rolled away from him. Simply knowing he was there was comforting. It was a surprise when his arm draped over her waist and he cuddled against her. Maybe he needed her as much as she needed him.

"She called me a mudblood. She said that was my name. She said I didn't deserve a name, Draco."

"She was a lying bitch Granger. Hermione Granger- that is your name. And you deserve it. " Draco whispered forcefully, sueezing her hand, before falling asleep.

Maybe they weren't that different after all.


	5. Words are bullets

They never spoke of their 'nightmare avoidance' as they liked to call it. It would just happen, no questions asked, no answers given.

They were more civil towards each other, heightening the suspicions. Ron would no longer talk to her (-not that he had much before anyway-he was too busy sucking the face off his unfaithful girl friend. Hermione had seen Lavender with someone else on her rounds and she didn't have the heart to tell him. She wasn't sure if it was that or whether she secretly hated him.)

Ginny had started it at dinner- "Why haven't you been calling him ferret anymore?"  
"Because, Ginerva, we are mature adults I think name calling is a bit childish." Hermione tersely replied,  
"No need to pull out the first name Draco-Lover …" Ginny mumbled  
Ron exploded at that point, so loud that Malfoy heard. He just sat back and looked smug. She glared back.

That was why he wasn't talking to her. Anyway she was making her way to the library and saw Malfoy exit at the same time.

…..**In the Library**

She sat there, burying her nose in her notes, trying to get away from the world. She didn't notice him coming up behind him so when he put his hand on her shoulder she jumped. She looked up with her big doe eyes- wait big doe eyes? Where did that come from? - Draco thought to himself.  
"You ok? I saw the red head explosion." He smirked and Hermione snickered. A 'be quiet' came from somewhere. She'd grown to like that smirk and was perfecting it herself.

"It was pretty funny, wasn't it?" she whispered. He sat next to her and before he could stop himself he said  
"What would you have said if we were going out?" a blush raised in his cheeks and he looked down, almost as shocked about his statement as she was.  
"I would have told him to mind his own business, and that I can love who I like." Hermione said boldly.  
"I'm gonna go up to the head dorms and get ready for rounds on that note" Draco said and stood up to leave.  
"You don't need to, I'll go." She stood up and left and squeezed his hand. She had left her file behind. He went to follow her and give it back until he read what was inside it. It was a load of song notes and chords. Then he had an idea. He went up to the library desk and coughed to get the old librarians attention.

"Madam Pince, do you have any working muggle devices that have access to the in-ter-net?"

…**In the heads dorms**

It was late when he returned. Hermione had fallen asleep on the couch her homework on the floor, and Malfoy had carried her to her bed, covering her in a duvet. Taking advantage of her slumbered state, he went and stuck up a parchment with his scribbles on a bare part of the wall covered in the songs. He made sure to put it low enough, as he was quite a bit taller than Hermione. And with a kiss on the forehead he left to finish his work.

Hermione woke up and raised an eyebrow. How had she got from her place on the couch to her bedroom? She looked at the clock, it was six and she needed to finish her essay. She got up and clomped over to the common room, where Malfoy had taken her spot on the sofa. She rocked him awake and they set about clearing up the room and getting ready for the day. Hermione walked into her bedroom again and noticed something different. She couldn't put her finger on it. As she left she figured it out. Only muggle paper was on her wall. Now there was a piece of parchment. It had a song written on it in distinct hand writing that she had come to know well.

_You shout out loud, but I can't hear a word you say  
I'm talking loud, and not saying much  
I'm scorned and hurt, and all your words ricochet  
Running through my mind._

_I'm bulletproof, with nothing to lose  
You fire away, far away  
They ricochet, and you take your aim  
You fire away, far away  
You shot me down, but I won't fall_

_I am made of stone  
You shot me down, but I won't fall  
I am a statue of stone_

_You pushed me down, but it's you who had further to fall  
In a ghost town and filled with haunted love  
I raise my voice, and sticks and stones can't break my bones  
But your words cut deep._

_I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose  
You fire away, so far away  
The words ricochet, you take your aim  
You fire away, fire away  
You shot me down, but I won't fall_

_You said I was  
Made of stone  
_

_I may seem stone hard, but I'm terrified_

_Of the spells fired at the ones who run  
You thought I was unbreakable, and you were wrong_

_You shot me down, but I won't fall  
To you I am  
Made of stone  
You shot me down, but I won't fall  
You thought I was  
I was made of stone_

_Ps-  
All I wanted was a friendship with you._

Hermione just gaped at the song. She didn't know what to do. She never knew that he felt like that about her. She felt the tears welling up.

She left for potions.

...

That was Titanium.


	6. Sorry

Hermione walked into potions slightly too late, earning a disapproving look from Slughorn. She sat next to Malfoy at the back of the class. They were good students, mostly, so they weren't the priority of the teacher's attention.

As they were set to their tasks Hermione started up conversation-"So where did you get your hands on a computer, Draco." He shot her look that was filled with surprise. She inwardly smiled at the fact that her saying his name had the same effect as him saying her name did. "Madam Pince" he mumbled under his breath.  
"Why did you do it?" She questioned.

"I hope the conversation is relevant over there" they simply nodded at the professor. Draco then whispered-  
"To show we're on the same page." They didn't speak for the rest of the lesson.

…

Potions ended and the teacher and the rest of the class left. Hermione, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Draco were left packing up, as Draco got up to leave Hermione said- loud enough for all to here- "Sorry." A curt nod from Draco and an explosion from Ron followed.

"Now you're apologising to the bloody bouncing ferret? What the hell Hermione! He should be saying sorry-" he would have continued but Hermione silencioed him. Draco just looked on with one cocked eyebrow and an emerging smirk.  
"Keep your opinions to yourself, Ronald" she replied calmly, "Draco, we have duties to finish." Ron went purple. The head girl left with the head boy.

"They are such a cute couple" Ginny mused. Harry nodded, knowing that there was no point in denying it. Ron stomped his foot. "You're not going to talk again until Hermione lets you; there is no point in complaining." Ginny scolded him, "And if you continue to try to do so, I will glue you to this floor." Ginny intertwined her fingers with Harry's, slung her bag over her shoulder and walked out of the classroom with her boyfriend in tow, leaving her brother to have a silent fit.  
They left the classrooms heading towards the lake, laughing at how much Ginny sounded like her mother, when they saw that their space was occupied by a certain brunette and blonde.  
"I know a much more exciting place we can go anyway," said Harry, wiggling his eyebrows. Ginny squeezed his hand excitedly  
"But I have to be back for dinner, so that I can interrogate our best friend."

….

Meanwhile, Draco and Hermione where talking by the lake. Their original intentions had been to sort out the prefect rota, but they had started talking.  
"I seriously am sorry about the things I've said before, Malfoy, I meant it when I said it after potions," she had blurted out. He seemed to stiffen and it was now her turn to turn red, the blush crept up her cheeks at the embarrassment of her rushed apology.

"I'm the one who should be sorry," he said, hushed. I took a sideways glance at her arm. She didn't bother to cover it up now, it was warm, and Hermione didn't see the point anyway. It was just an arm. She realised how much it affected him but she didn't cover it up. Instead she rolled up her sleeve further and put her arm right under his nose for him to see.

"You see that, Draco," he looked away, she bought her arm into his view again,

"You see it? I know you do, you were there when it happened." He cringed.

"I look at that every day and I am proud of it." His head snapped up and he looked at her with the most startled expression. It made the young witch laugh, and this only confused him more. She thought it was such a cute look, wait not cut not cute, she reprimanded herself.

"It reminds me of my bravery, and though it may not be a word to teach the kids," she giggled then, earning a sort of half smile,

"And though it kills me to remember, I still look at it." Then he looked away. He couldn't look at her anymore. He couldn't think that he didn't save her, when he so easily could have. She touched his shoulder-

"You couldn't have saved me if you wanted me to," she said. How the hell is she so good at that? He thought.

Then he took her hand off his shoulder got up and left with four short words "I did want to." They were like bullets to her heart.

...

Hey guys, its me again, just wanted to let you know, I've edited the chapters and may continue to do so, so do check previous chapters for updates, they are kinda key. Anyway- hope your all enjoying and review, i like to know what the readers think/feel. Bisbee x


	7. The Kiss

…..

Dinner in the great hall was not very different. Draco sat there, scowling at the younger years prattle and Hermione was eating her apple for dessert. Ginny decided to strike when there was no escape.

"So, how was your date with Malfoy, Mione?" Hermione almost choked.  
"WE," she said nodding her head at Harry, "saw you and him by the lake where WE go," she nodded at Harry and then wiggled her eyebrows, so Hermione could insinuate what she meant. Hermione blushed slightly.

"That is not a conversation for here Ginny," she mumbled, hoping to get her friend off her back. It didn't work.

"Well we've both finished so let's go to your dorms." And with that Ginny had her hand around Hermione's wrist and Hermione was literally being dragged out of the great hall. The boys didn't even notice.

…..

For the next hour Hermione told Ginny everything, pacing around her room as Ginny occupied the bed.

"I showed him this," Hermione rolled up her sleeve to reveal her arm, she was almost at the end of the story,  
"And said that he could have done nothing about it," she decided to skip a few details; her jaw was aching from talking so fast.  
"Then he got up and left." Hermione finished. Collapsing on the bed.  
"NO! That is not the end, tell me what he said." At that point Draco opened the door slightly, looked Ginny in the eye and said

"I said- I did want to." Ginny just gaped like a fish out of water. "Close your mouth Weasly, you'll catch flies," a wink at Hermione and he left.

"That boy has a habit of dramatic exits and entrances." Hermione tutted, trying to put on a brave face that showed she wasn't dying inside.  
"Can you honestly tell me that you are not dying inside out of cuteness?" Ginny huffed with crossed arms.  
"Nope. I'm just wondering how long he was standing behind that door…" Hermione sighed. He was going to be the death of her, even if he didn't know it yet. Ginny flung up her arms in exasperation.  
"You are insufferable Hermione Jean Granger! Go and talk to him for Merlin's sake!" And with that she left the room swinging her bag.  
"That's my word!" Hermione yelled at Ginny's retreating figure. The red head saluted lazily and left through the portrait hole.

….

Mrs Malfoy sat in the huge manor by herself reading the newspaper. Her eyes were on the lists of people that had been in Azkaban and had been kissed by the dementors. Every day there was a new list, and every day she waited for one name to appear. Today, it did.

_Lucius Malfoy, kissed. _Read the paper. Narcissa tore out the page and walked calmly over to the fireplace. "McGonagall's office" she called dropping the powder in her hand and disappearing in a burst of green flames.

….

"Draco, you're being called to the head's office." Hermione yelled from the window, giving the little owl a treat and sending it on its way. They had recently decided that since they were going to have to live together, they might as well be on a first name basis.  
"Just me?" He said coming up behind her, startling her. She leant back, almost falling out the window, but his arm was around her waist and pulling her back inside before she had time to even think. His arm snaked back to his side and she handed him the small piece of parchment with the Head mistress's note on it. He left without another word.

…

Draco sat in the big armchairs in front of the head-teacher's desk. His mother had his hand on his shoulder letting him process what had just been said. On the desk was the newspaper cutting. Draco's expression quickly turned from confused to joyful. He tried to hide it but he couldn't. He glanced at the both of them and said, as evenly as he could.  
"Thank you, for letting me know," To his mother he said "May I take this?" She nodded and tried to smile at her son. She was so pleased to be free, but she had loved her husband, and it pained her to think she would never wake up beside him again.

Draco left the office and sprinted down the hall way laughing, earning looks from each of the students he passed. He finally reached the heads dorms and he searched for Hermione. He called her name and she emerged with a worried expression on her face.

"Is everything alright, Draco?" She questioned when she was gripped by the waist and spun around.  
"What in the name of god's pants brought this on?" she inquired, a little breathless. He showed her the clipping and seemed to be fizzling. _  
_"Draco! How is this something to be singing and dancing about? You just lost a parent, and I know how that feels-"

She was interrupted by him talking "It means," he said, with a glint in his eye, and an arm snaking around her waist to pull her closer, "That I can do this"

He leant down and kissed her.

She, surprisingly for both of them, returned the kiss, twining her arms around his neck to deepen the kiss. It was so soft and passionate she thought she had died and gone to heaven right there. They broke for air and he kissed her forehead.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he breathed, still holding her tight.

She replied "For me since the third year, I wanted to kiss you but instead, I punched you…I'm guessing around about the same time?" She giggled and looked into his silvery eyes that were filled with…she couldn't figure out what it was, but she was pretty sure she looked the same.

He sighed, contentedly "From the moment I lay my eyes on you" and with that, he kissed her again.

…..

"OH MY GOD MIONE HE DID WHAT!?" was Ron's reaction when she told Ginny the next morning at breakfast.

"Hush Ronald, or will I have to silencio you again?" Harry smirked and Ginny looked like a proud mother.  
"But Mione, he called you a m-" It was Ginny who flicked her wand this time to silence the fuming redhead.

"I won't tolerate such language at the table Ronald," The young witch said, impersonating her mother and making everyone at the table laugh. Ron stormed off.  
"So are you two an item now?" Harry asked, almost warily. Ginny kicked him under the table noticing the unease in her boyfriend's voice.

"Well I say _finally_!" Ginny exclaimed. "The only tension between you two was of the sexual kind; even a first year could notice that!" That earned her a disapproving look from a passing first year girl, who then nodded at Hermione. This made Harry splutter with laughter after the younger girl left.

"So you won't mind if I ask Draco to come over and sit with us," the couple shook their heads simultaneously. They all turned to see Draco smirking at his friend's who had blanched; obviously he had just told them. Hermione got up and went over to stand behind Draco.

"I hope you don't mind but I'm going to steal my boyfriend away from you all now." She said and then slid her hand into his and they left for the Gryffindor table. Pansy looked as if she was about to faint, but Blaise seemed fully recovered.

"Boyfriend?" Draco questioned before they reached Hermione's friends.  
"That is what you are to me. And much more," Hermione had to have a sappy moment, he smiled happily, "Would you prefer Drakey-poo?" Hermione smiled, looking totally innocent. Draco looked mortified, running his hand through his already ruffled blonde hair, at the reference to the nick-name Pansy had given him when they were together. Then he looked at her and smiled

"Draco is fine," he leant down and kissed her-

"After all, that is your name." Hermione whispered to him, in an almost sultry manner. This made Draco's eyes widen. They were brought back out of their little world by Harry.

"Not a fan of PDA," he coughed. At that Hermione looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Draco couldn't resist-

"You don't seem to mind when it's you and your girlfriend." Ginny went as red as her hair and Harry matched her.

The four continued to enjoy their breakfasts and then made their way to their lessons.


	8. Off the Ground

Hermione walked down the hallway, her robes billowing out behind her. As she went by first years would wave at her or whisper to their friends, older years would greet her and some would scowl. All she had to do was look them in the eye to show them their place.

She and Draco being together had caused havoc in the school. Some of their friends were accepting, Harry, Blaise, Ginny, Luna… in fact, most of the student body and the teachers. Pansy and Ron were still sulking. Hermione couldn't help but think that they would be perfect for each other. Maybe that was being a bit malicious. After all, even the most hideous of pugs didn't deserve a cheating boyfriend.

….In the great hall

Draco was leaning over to Harry and talking to him about something very serious, well it seemed that way from the expression on his face. Harry, however, thought it was hilarious and was trying so hard not to laugh in his face.

Hermione walked over and the boys immediately stopped talking. Draco even left the table without so much of a smile towards his girlfriend. He just stared at the floor and walked past her.  
Hermione usually wasn't one to have an instantaneous temper (she told herself) but as she sat next to Harry she boiled over.  
"What were you two talking about so seriously?"  
"Nothing you need to know about." Harry replied.  
"What do you mean nothing I need to know about?!" she whispered in a dangerous tone. Harry knew if he had any chance of survival he would either leave or not look her in the eye. The idiot did neither.  
"I am his girlfriend. You were his worst enemy until I got with him, and a secret between you is nothing I need to know about?" Her voice was going to break any second- Thankfully he was saved by the belle-Ginny

"We better get moving"-and then by the literal bell signifying dinner was over.

Hermione stalked off. Her bag swung as she picked it up and slung it over her shoulder, hitting Harry in the process. The red head tried to follow her but was stopped by strong arms-

"You know better than that, Gin. You don't follow Hermione unless you want to be hexed."

…..**The Heads common room**

Hermione was working herself into a tizz. Draco hadn't talked to her since Wednesday and it was Friday night. Was he going to dump her? Was he having second thoughts? Was she not good enough? He had never told her he loved her….She knew she was being a bit irrational, but everyone panics, she told herself.

She got up from her half finished homework when she was pulled backwards and blindfolded.

…..

A pair of strong arms held her to the body that she was struggling against. She was being carried bridal style but her arms were pinned to her sides.

Finally she stopped struggling and her battle instincts kicked in. Try and define parts of the body to tell you things about the person- she told herself. She felt she'd been in the arms before. The smell was familiar—

She was no longer on solid ground. The person was not walking. The arms were still around her but not carrying her-more encompassing- and she was balancing on a wooden stick. Her hands grabbed on to the broom. She whimpered slightly at the sensation of the wind against her face. She hated flying.

They came to a stop. The person reached up away from the broom and unconsciously she wriggled into them. The small chuckle- like music to her ears came from the lips of the person. She was going to kill Draco when they got back on the ground.

He undid her blindfold and whispered in her ear- I've got you. She blinked to accustom herself to the light. She was above the lake, the waves rippled and shone, reflecting the full moon. It was breath taking. A gentle breeze swayed them gently and the stars twinkled like eyes above her. Hogwarts seemed like a fairytale castle from where she was. She was encased in the night, and more importantly, the arms of Draco.

She heard him whisper something and suddenly her ears filled with music.

_Turn around, open your eyes, look at me now,  
Turn around, I promise, I've got you, we won't fall down  
We can see our future from up here,  
So long as we're together, we have no fear, no fear_

_So look around, we're floating so high up off the ground, floating so high,  
Turn around, together, nothing can stop us now,  
Look, Hermione,  
Turn around, floating so high up off the ground, floating so high,  
Turn around, together nothing can stop us now,_

_Look to the sky,there's outta space, we can go there now,  
Turn around, there's no limit to what we've found,  
Turn the music up, I wanna feel it all,  
And, baby, we'll stay up,  
'Cause there's no way for us to fall, to fall_

_So turn around, floating so high up off the ground, floating so high,  
Turn around, together nothing can stop us now,  
Listen baby,  
Turn around, floating so high up off the ground, floating so high,  
Turn around, together nothing can stop us now,_

_We're so high now,  
Tell our worries and our pain goodbye now_

_Our home is the sky now,  
And we're never coming down_

She turned to look at Draco. He looked perfect to her in the moonlight. He kissed her, held her close and said-

"I love you"

Those three words were so full of meaning that a single tear fell out of joy. He looked so worried it was endearing. She just shook her head and laughed. Another kiss and another four words

"I love you too" was all it took to make Draco's heart swell.

He guided them back to their common room, and Hermione seemed to have forgotten about her vertigo, and was holding him to her. They went to lie in Hermione's cluttered bedroom. They lay there in silence, just happy to be together. Hermione waved her wand in the hair, conjuring a parchment with the words of the song and a photo of the two of them, Draco wiping the tear from her cheek and the two of them smiling at each other in a gaze so filled with love, on the broom in the moonlight. It placed itself on the wall.

"How long did it take you to perfect that spell to play the music?"

"Since Wednesday," Draco traced the outline of her fingers laced into his.

"How long did it take you to come up with the idea of scaring the shit out of me by blindfolding me?"

"It was Harry's idea on Wednesday; we knew you would never agree to get on a broom" he pushed her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead

"I would now, if it meant that happening again," she turned to face him, her eyes full of adoration and so much more.

"I love you Hermione," a kiss on her cheek

"To the outer edges of the universe at further, Draco." a kiss filled with all the love she had to give, all the pent up fustration and her desperation for him.

Hey guys, it's me again! Sorry for all the sap, i was having a heart-melting day reading sickeningly sweet romances and listening to impossibly cute songs. (Not usually feeling the conor maynard vibe- but it's too cute!)


	9. Matchmaking

Christmas was getting closer and closer. That meant more and more tests. And more and more mistletoe. The second one the couples didn't mind about, but the younger years and jealous friends were getting peeved. This included Blaise.

The mistletoe in Hogwarts was the kind that left you stuck under it until you and the other person kissed. He had walked passed Luna several times kissing a different boy, and it made him jealous as hell. Undoubtedly, she was beautiful, and that was the only reason the other boys kissed her. He felt she deserved more. He loved her slightly dreamy expression and the way she didn't seem to care what people said about her. He accepted he had been one of those people until he started sitting with Draco and Hermione and the others (including Luna) at the Gryffindor table. If Draco could put up with Gryffindors then so could he. He realised the only really annoying person was Weasel and he wasn't hardly around anymore.

He teased Draco about being so overprotective of Mione, but every time he saw Luna talking with another guy he wanted to punch them. He would tell her, but she seemed indifferent whenever she spoke to him. His love was unrequited, obviously.

…The Heads dorms

"Why don't you just tell her?" Blaise and Draco told everything to each other. They had practically been joined at the hip since birth.

"She doesn't like me, she just…acts the same as she does with you…" he sighed hesitantly. He wasn't so open with Hermione around. He liked her, no problem; he just didn't want Luna hearing anything about this other than from him. Hermione and Luna were best friends, nothing would go unsaid.

"Is this about Luna?" Hermione traipsed in and sat opposite the boys in an armchair, starting an essay.

"What the fuck? How does she know?" Blaise turned to Draco, and gradual blush rising in his dark cheeks. His blond friend simply shrugged.  
"Blaise, anyone can see that you like her. You stiffen if she's even near the mistletoe and you zone out to everything else when she talks to you." His cheeks were positively red. "You'll turn into a Weasly if you don't stop blushing," Hermione said nonchalantly, earning a raised eyebrow from both boys.

"Is it that obvious?" Blaise pleaded. Draco nodded helplessly.

"She does not act the same around you as she does around us. That dreamy look is reserved for you. Her laugh isn't the same when she's with the guys either. She fancies you too. Has for a while." Hermione rolled her eyes at his shocked look. "You two just need to get together, or the Gryffindor girls are going to have to put up with her moaning your name in her sleep for another year after four already. I'll tell you now, they'd rather had their own dreams. Do you want to turn to Weasels the both of you?" The boys had both gone pink at Hermione's words.

"Go talk to her before another night gets too much for the girls to handle." Blaise picked up his bag and left, as if under the Imperitus curse.

Draco just stared at his girlfriend in disbelief. "Was that true?"

"All of it apart from the groaning, but you seem to underestimate my powers of occulamancy." She displayed such a Slytherin smirk that all the boy could do was smirk back and go over to his girlfriend and pull her into a passionate kiss.

"I seem to be rubbing off on you" he said, insinuating something more with a cocky grin and wiggling eyebrow.

"Oh no you don't, homework and then reward." She scolded. He pouted and sulked off to get his own work. "Plus, one of the worst I've heard from the Slytherin sex god yet."

"Ah well, you're a bad influence."

"Ya think?" they locked the portrait hole and left a trail of clothes (and a pile of homework) leading to Draco's room.

….The courtyard

Luna felt a tapping on her shoulder.

"Walk with me?" She did her best not to squeal like a preteen when she agreed. They Italian boy held her hand and they walked for a bit, when suddenly they couldn't any more. Luna looked up, familiar with the feeling. They were stuck under stupid mistletoe, again.

"If this is another ploy to fulfil a bet then I refuse." Blaise looked shocked at the idea.  
"Of course not. It was a ploy to get you to listen." It was her turn to look shocked. "I have something to say-" he was cut off by a kiss. She thought she might melt there and then. God she sounded like Ginny or Mione. But he returned the kiss, unlike the others who just ran off to get their money.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

"I thought you'd never ask." The two smiled and kissed again earning a wolf whistle from passing fourth year.


	10. Upon the hill across the blue lake

It was the two weeks before the Christmas holidays, and Draco had a present for Hermione. They were both spending Christmas at Hogwarts so he couldn't wait for her to open her present.

"_I don't know, she may think it's too much and-"_

"_Draco, every girl loves a piece of jewellery that means something." His mother insisted. She pushed the velvet pouch into his breast pocket. Not giving him the opportunity to say no- again. _

He had sent her a note, saying to meet him under the willow by the lake, just as they had before.

Hermione shivered in the cold, impatient to know what was so important that she had to stand there, freezing. The lake was completely iced over, but you could still see the rolling waves underneath. No doubt they were being caused by the giant squid.  
Hermione jumped at the sound of her name. She turned to smile at Draco, only it wasn't him. It was Ron.

"Hey Ron, what are you doing here?" It was innocent enough.  
"I saw you and you looked like you needed someone to warm you." He said draping an arm around her shoulders. She smiled it was the first time Ron had touched her or even talked to her normally since she and Draco were together.  
"Draco's coming in a minute-" His facial expression dropped.  
"You can do better." She tightened her jaw, but remained under his arm. She didn't look at him.  
"Honestly, Ronald, I don't think anyone could live up to him." He gripped her shoulders and made her face him.  
"I know you could. Me." Before she could say anything he was kissing her. She didn't kiss back and tried to push him away, but he was almost twice her height and stronger than her.

Draco came over the hill at that point, tying the bow of the pouch. He looked up, expecting to see her waiting for him. But instead he saw his love in a compromising situation with a certain red head. He hung his head and turned. He dropped the pouch and sprinted back to the castle, clenched fists punching the air as he ran. He got back to the Head's Dorms, shedding his scarf and hat, before locking himself in his room. A single glistening tear left a track down his pale cheek.

Ron finally let go.  
"You bastard!" She screamed and punched his jaw. A small handprint left a mark and she knew it would bruise. A trickle of blood already trickled down his chin. The blood ran along her knuckles and into the gaps between her fingers.

She got to the top of the hill and almost trod on the silver and red pouch lying in the snow, her name was embroidered into the corner of the pouch

Shit- she whispered. She opened the pouch and found a necklace and locket inside. It was the most exquisite thing she had ever seen. Rubies were set into a silver heart locket, with an intricate chain with clasp designed to look like a snake. The locket had a single word written across it: _forever. _Inside was aminiature image of the one she had on her wall of her and Draco on the broom.

She wept and sobbed loudly all the way up to the dorms, blood still staining her fist. Students got shoved into walls as she barged her way up the stared. Few would have noticed the necklace tangled in her grasp and the pouch poking out of her pocket, just so you could see her name. Ghosts flew through her in their hurry to get out of her way, chilling her to the bone even more. She reached the heads dorms and crumpled to the floor, matting the white rug with tears and blood. On the way back the wimping willow had slashed her face with a fly away branch but she didn't care. All she cared about was the person who she had just lost the trust of. Draco Malfoy.

…

Hermione didn't enter her room that night, and was late for classes the next morning. She had awoken on the bed after she had fallen asleep on the floor. Even after all she had done, he still cared for her.

Hermione was crying when she woke. The dream that had made her scream was not the same one as before, but one of Draco walking away as Ron kissed her. It had pained her more than 100 cruciatus curses ever could. The tears blurring her vision meant she didn't notice the new piece of parchment on her wall.

_There was a time I used to look into my lovers eyes  
In a happy home I was a king I had a golden throne  
Those days are gone, now the memories are on the wall  
I hear the songs from the places where I was born_

_Up on the hill across the blue lake,  
That's where I had my first heartbreak  
I still remember how it all changed  
I told myself,  
"Don't you worry, don't you worry, now,  
See heaven's got a plan for you  
Don't you worry, don't you worry now"  
_

_"Don't you worry, don't you worry, now,  
See heaven's got a plan for you  
Don't you worry, don't you worry now"_

_There was a time; I met a girl of a different kind.  
We ruled the world; I thought "She'll be forever mine."  
I felt her love, but I can't forget the lies,  
I still rewrite the songs reminding me of the pain_

_Up on the hill across the blue lake,  
That's where I had my first heartbreak  
I still remember how it all changed  
I told myself,  
"Don't you worry, don't you worry, now  
See heaven's got a plan for you  
Don't you worry, don't you worry now"_

But she did notice one other thing- a note that had been placed in her hand while she slept. It read

"Being observant is key." The words were like bullets to her heart.

...

Sorry, havn't had time to update, but I hope it was worth the wait. Also, note the previous chapter editing. Bisbee x


	11. Glass Hearts

Hermione buried herself in her studies. She didn't know how to make it up to Draco. She had tried to apologise, he wouldn't hear it.  
_"But Draco- it wasn't me! It was him!" She had pleaded, tears dripping down her face. _

"_It hurt, and I don't care who started it, but you seemed pretty content in his arms." He turned to leave._

"_I wouldn't do that to someone I love." She had whispered. Her voice was breaking and hoarse. He stopped and turned to look into her watery eyes._

"_Then you don't love me." He had left then, he couldn't hear another word._

When Hermione was younger, she had read the book 'The Glass Heart.' The three princesses each had a glass heart, which would shatter at the slightest ping. The first of the princesses had fallen in love, but died when he did not return her affections. She always promised herself not to be like the first princess, and yet her she was, with her shattered heart.

….

Ron had tried to snuggle up to her; he had tried to be mean to Malfoy. She had pushed him away and had defended the ferret. The obnoxious idiot obviously didn't love her, so why should she waste the effort and just come back to me? He thought to himself. Several bruises had come up on his face where she had punched him several times because of him being rude to the ferret. He also sported a split lip. Straight after the war it was a sign of bravery. Now the whole school knew it was Hermione who hit him. So they figured he was in the wrong, and just gave him dirty looks instead. She had tainted her detention free record for the sake of the ferret; she had punched him in front of McGonagall, and the whole class for that matter.

"_If you can't figure out what kind of a girl she is by her words, then you can by her right hook." She had snarled. Everyone had cheered her after. He had been humiliated by her; he had been beaten up by a girl. He had reached for his wand when rolled her eyes saying: Magic is so over-rated. Malfoy hadn't even been in that class._

She would pay for the embarrassment he had suffered.

…..

Harry and Ginny, Blaise and Luna cornered Draco. They had pulled him into an empty classroom and Ginny had glued him to a chair (magically, of course), Luna had taken his wand and Blaise had locked the door.

"What do you think you're doing?" blazed the four of his friends all at once.  
"I think the question is: what are_ you_ doing?" replied the snarky blond.

"Are you aware of the misery a certain friend of ours has been put through because of you?" asked Blaise, as if he were a solicitor in court.  
"It was her that put herself in that misery."  
"No, that was you!" Ginny said hotly. Harry squeezed her hand to calm her down.  
"Draco, I understand Hermione has tried to tell you it wasn't her?" Luna inquired. She stood next to Blaise.  
"Well, yeah, but-" he tried to continue his argument but Ginny lost it.  
"It wasn't her! My idiot brother has been trying to win her back, but she refuses! She had rejected him after this kiss he told me! She had hit him every time he says something bad about you! She is responsible for his messed up face. Mind you, I slapped him after he told me what had happened…"  
"She loves you Draco, is what we're trying to tell you. She needs you. She has fallen to pieces."  
Draco sat in utter shock. First, he had never seen Ginny that cross. Second, he hadn't realised she loved him that much. He hadn't known. He had seen the Weasels face, and now he knew it was her, he felt a swell of pride. A smirk appeared on his face at the thought. Ginny looked as if she was about to wipe that smirk off his face permanently, when Harry held her back.

"If you would kindly let me go, I owe a very special someone an apology." The four smiled, relieved, and unbound there friend. He leapt up and out of the room, sprinting down the corridors looking for his girl. The other four followed him, not quite as hurried though.

…

Ron had Hermione pinned to the floor. She was writhing and screaming in pain under his spell. He had made her believe his finger was a knife, and was tracing the word in her arm over and over. He smiled gleefully.

"To remind you of the pain of humiliation." He whispered in her ear. She screamed again. He had silenced the room. He traced the 'B' on her arm with his middle finger.

The door hadn't closed properly.

….

Draco, ran around the castle, and still couldn't find her. He was worried. She couldn't be anywhere else. He was walking back to his dorms in defeat, when he heard a scream. He knew it was hers. The others were catching up with him, and called his name when he headed off again. The echoes of five pairs of shoes bounced off the stone floors.

He came to the open door. He almost fainted at the sight of the redhead bending over her, tracing her word. He silently walked up behind Ron, yanked him off her and threw him against the wall. He collapsed by Hermione, who had stopped screaming, but was still crying. He helped her as he had the first time-

_The pain was there, but it was old, not being renewed, constantly. A cool hand covered the wounds to heal them. It worked. That wasn't possible, to heal in that way. This wasn't real._

She woke to find Draco Malfoy cradling her head and looking into her eyes, rocking her to consciousness. She went to sit up; the sudden movement caused them to hit heads. Draco looked slightly dazed but smiled. They were close now. Her face closed in to his. He leaned in and kissed her. All the love they felt for each other was shared in that kiss.

"I love you, Hermione Granger; I always have and always will."

"The feeling's mutual." She smirked. She tried to laugh, but it hurt too much. Draco saw her pain, lifter her bridal style and took her back to their dorms.

The four friends spotted Draco and Hermione and ran down the hall to them. They stopped, but the head boy walked past and spat one name- Weasley.

They cautiously drew their wands and followed the sound of the pained groans.

Ginny was the first in the room, and the others entered to see her pointing her wand at her youngest brother's neck.

They swiftly body bound him and levitated him to the hospital wing, despite Ginny's protests to send him straight to McGonagall.

…..

Hey guys, I have been told I am not allowed to use copyrighted material, so I have edited the words etc to not be reported. Will say which song it is at the end or will put in a link to lyric video. Thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming!


	12. Between the heart and life line

Hermione twiddled with the necklace that adorned her neck. The piece of jewellery hadn't left her neck since the…the… incident with Ron.

Speaking of Ron, no one had seen him much after McGonagall had taken him away from the hospital wing. He would return for a day or two, and then disappear. Never for longer than three days at a time, would his pale face appear at the breakfast table. Since Hermione and Draco started dating, and Blaise and Luna started dating, the relevance house tables at meal times had just disintegrated. Hufflepuffs with Slytherins, and Ranvenclaws and Gryffindors were all over the place.

She wondered around the halls, one hand on her wand, and one on the necklace. It was so quiet in Hogwarts. Nothing breathed. The Christmas candles flickered, illuminating the old castle. You could tell were the castle had been blown to bits; the walls were brighter, less broken.

Everything had been broken before; the students, the teachers, the castle, the relationships. Draco. Herself.

Hermione's mood swings had been horrendous. One day all she had thought of was how happy she was in Draco's arms. The next she had only focused on the scars that criss-crossed their entwined limbs.

Today was until Christmas Eve. It was late, half an hour until midnight. It saddened her to think that it was only one year ago she and Harry had been celebrating Christmas in a tent, fearing for their lives. She gazed down at the 'm' permanently on her arm. Anyone passing would have thought she was extremely masochistic when she smiled.

_It had been a scar day. She had cried and cried as Draco held her, whispering sweet nothings to her. Only one phrase captured her attention.  
"M isn't for m-m-" he looked ashamed. He couldn't choke out the word. She would have laughed at the irony if she wasn't in such a mood.  
"M is for My Mione. My Mione." She was so convinced that nothing could go wrong when she was with him. It was the end of the swings._

She found herself outside the dorms. She slipped in to find Draco hunched over by the Christmas tree. She snuck up on him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He tensed and quickly turned, forcing her to let go, and was hiding something behind his back.  
"Not so subtle." She commented. A defeated sigh left his lips.

"I guess not." She crossed her arms, pushing back her shoulders, looking particularly authoritative with herself.

"Well, then, what is it?" she said commanding him.

"It would ruin the surprise." He stepped closer, still hiding whatever it was behind him.

"It's a good job I don't like surprises then!" she stepped forward and attempted to grab the thing in his hands. She fell forward as he moved out the way. He was quick to react, forgetting about keeping the thing in his hand a secret. He grabbed her waist and pulled her to him, just as he had when she almost fell out the window. The Christmas bells, charmed to chime midnight, rang the little tune.

"It's Christmas now. You have to give me my surprise." She whispered. She closed her eyes, her hand facing palm up by her waist. Something small and cool rested in her clammy palm. She opened her eyes to see a ring resting in between the heart line and life line on her left hand. Draco was still towering above her, his arms around her waist.

"You are my life, my soul, my love. Hermione Granger, will you marry me?" The most incredulous look crossed her face. He was worried. He'd been worried about her response all week.  
"That is _your_ name, I said, my love." He teased quietly; she could sense he was unsure.  
"Yes, Draco Malfoy. I will marry you." A smile played on her lips as he processed her words.  
"That is _your_ name, I said, my love!" He slid the ring onto her finger, all the while looking into her eyes.  
"You and your clever ways with words-" he mused.  
"Just shut up and kiss me."

All that was broken was fixed, she mused. They had fixed each other, to each other. Just as it was meant to be.


	13. Making Friends

Ron caught up with Draco in the hall way. The two talked for a while, Ron's expression going from ashamed to almost happy. Draco's expressionless mask broke into a crooked smile.

The two shook hands and parted ways.

….

Hermione toyed with her food, too busy thinking about the glittering diamond band on her finger. Harry and Ginny had congratulated her, though Ginny had not spoken to Harry for a day after she found out. After all, they had been dating for years, and Hermione and Draco were engaged after a few months! She knew this was irrelevant to the extent of Harry's love, but still. It would have been nice to have a ring on her finger.

She got up as the bell rang leaving for afternoon lessons. Draco got up to catch up with her, but he was stopped when Pansy slammed her hand on his chest to get to her first. It would have seemed aggressive to all those that didn't know about the roots that ran deep between the two. They had been best friends for years; a shove was cute, like baby cubs play fighting.

Hermione hadn't noticed the incident. She only really registered a person when she heard footsteps matching hers. She smiled towards the person next to her, but her face fell when she saw it was Pansy.  
"Don't look like that!" Pansy said, in an exaggerated tone. Hermione simply raised an eyebrow, questioning the girl's antics. Pansy lifted Hermione's hand in hers.

"I wanted to say congratulations." Hermione was flabbergasted, to say the least. Who would have thought the queen of Slytherin would be congratulating _her_.

"I know we've not been the best of friends-" she started, Hermione snorted.

"NO! Let me finish!" She raised her voice so Hermione had to shush her.

"I just hope we can be friends. After all, we are now practically sisters." She hugged Hermione. More crushed her, actually. When she released her grip, a little, Hermione relaxed and hugged her back.

"That would be nice." Hermione said. Pansy was a first a little sceptical, looking for hints of sarcasm that Hermione was so well known for. She found nothing. The two girls heard a snort and turned their heads.

Harry, Ron and Draco just stood there, jaws hitting the floor. Ginny was suppressing a laugh and another snort. The girls looked back at them.

"What? You got a problem with two girls hugging?" Pansy said, looking at Ron, poking an accusing finger into the red heads chest. He shook his head. Ginny couldn't hold back the laughter any longer, leaning on Harry's shoulder for support.

"Close your mouth Draco, you'll catch flies."

Luna walked down the corridor with her boyfriend, who had the same reaction to the boys. She walked to stand by Hermione and Pansy. The four girls linked arms and made their way through the courtyard. It left the boys just exchanged looks and headed off after the girls.

….

"Hey Hermione," Draco said nervously. They were sitting next to each other doing homework. He couldn't focus on his homework, his mind was buzzing.  
"Yes Draco?" She asked inquisitively.  
"This Sunday, we're going to the Weasley's for dinner." He prepared for an angry explosion. In his head he could see her head literally explode like dynamite, brains littering the floor.

Instead he heard a cheerful 'Okay'. He was so confused. But he relaxed, his part of the plan had been fulfilled.


	14. Surprises

Hermione appeared with a loud pop outside the Burrow. Draco had left a note on the table telling her he was going early. She was suspicious. Never the less, she got dressed and did her hair. She knew not to eat a fully fledged breakfast; Molly would have cooked more than enough to feed the five thousand. Though she picked an apple from the bowl and rubbed it on her sleeve, taking a large bite.

Her shoes were snow proof and fluffy on the inside. Her nose was covered by her scarf and her hands warm in her gloves. Tendrils of her hair fell into her face, and a messy bun was piled on top of her head.  
As she trudged through the closer and closer, she noted it was deathly quiet. That was never the case in the Weasley household. To many children.

She placed her hand on her wand: old habits die hard. She pushed the door so it creaked open. It was pitch black but her eyes hurt when suddenly the lights brightened. A banner floated from the ceiling singing "Happy Birthday" by Stevie Wonder. The words 'Happy Birthday Hermione!' flashed green and gold, her favourite colours, with the words. The table was laden with food, almost to breaking point. All the Weasley's, their families, Harry, Blaise, Luna and Draco stood beneath the banner. The image was only just saved to memory before she was pushed to the floor being bombarded with hugs from all sides. It reminded her of all the times when they were younger.

She laughed as everyone shoved presents into her arms, urging her to rip open the garish paper. You could tell Molly, Ginny and Luna had wrapped every present. The wrapping was too perfect for the boys to have done it themselves.

Arthur hung back from the crowd, and waited until she was able to free herself from the pile of people and presents. She went over to thank him for all the trouble he went through for her.  
"After all, you are family." He replied. "No go and look at the clock." She smiled in confusion, but did as she was told. Each hand for each family member and Harry pointed to home. Hermione noticed something. There were two new hands that decorated the clock. In carefully carved letters were the names-Hermione and Draco.

Arthur went up behind her, with his arms outstretched. She snuggled to him as she would to her father. He was her father, since all her blood family were gone. "I thought you might appreciate it."

"She's not the only one," mused Draco.

Ron came up behind Hermione. She had left the crowded house to look up at the stars and have a moment to herself.

"I just wanted to say congratulations," he mumbled. "And sorry." She smiled and hugged her best friend.  
"I'm glad to have you back, Ron."

The party continued long into the night. Hermione and Draco were congratulated countless times. Often by the same people three times over. The Hogwarts students tipsily made their way back to the apparition point, and popped back to their dorms in Hogwarts, falling asleep on their beds instantly.

…

Draco woke to the sound of tapping on the window. He groggily got up and took the letter from the owl. It flew away without money or a treat. He gazed down at the letter in his hand. It wasn't even sealed.

He gingerly opened the letter, to see tiny, broken, scrawl. It informed him his mother had died-suddenly. It told him-

_The dark lord rises again. _

It took him less than a second to realise who had sent the letter. It was someone he thought was dead. Someone who destroyed him, and was determined to destroy the one who had fixed him. It was the person who killed his mother. It couldn't have been anyone else.

He drew his wand and burned the letter. He didn't bother to let go of the burning parchment, and burnt the tips of his fingers. The black ash dirtied his white carpet and the rest flew out the window.

He went back to a restless sleep, as the sun rose, drenching the sky blood red.

Back at the Weasley's, Draco and Hermione's hands on the clock slowly turned to mortal peril. No one in the house was awake to notice.

…

Hey guys! Hope you enjoy! Twists and turns up coming! Bisbee x


	15. The Huntsman's Heart

Draco's mother had read him a story once-

_High in the mountains, the place is like the people, cold, bleak, with a heart of stone. _

_Beasts: people and animals alike, live alone. Nobody trusts anybody. Everybody is suspicious of what could be lurking in the shadows, be it witches, werewolves or family. Life is short and miserable._

_One girl, her face as pale as the snow she walked on, her hair as black as the night and as thick as the fog, lived alone with her uncle she and aunt. On the other side of the wood lived her love. Love was a rare thing in such an isolated place. They were to elope. They would meet under the light of the moon and stars, in the clearing of the wood and plan to run far from that dreadful place, and they would dream of what they would do once far away from the mountain. He gave her a ring, as a token of his love, so she could keep it hidden, for love was forbidden, in that desolate place._

_The night they were to elope, the uncle, a huntsman, had given her a poisoned apple, for he knew about her meetings, and wanted to spoil the couple's chance at happiness. She had taken the apple, but did not eat it. She could tell by the smell that the fruit had been tainted. The cold sharpens the senses. The uncle followed her on the way to the clearing, staying in the shadows, waiting for her to take the fatal bite. When she did not, and they had almost reached the clearing, the huntsman leapt out from the shadows, his dagger aimed at her heart. The girl had felt a piercing gaze upon her. She took her own hunting knife, and with the impulse of a hunted creature, she turned and killed her uncle. She did not look back to see what she had done._

_She ran to her loves warm embrace, and told him of her deed. They returned to the forest. By now the corpse was tinged with blue. They cut out the bleeding heart, and packed it in snow. Wrapping it in the uncle's cloak, they crept back to the aunt's home and left the heart on the doorstep._

_That night, with the full moon following them, the young lovers ran as far they could, hand in hand. They did not stop until the snow no longer crunched under their feet and the flakes of snow stopped falling on their frozen faces. By dawn, the couple's feet were bleeding, their cheeks and noses so red they resembled rose petals, and their fingers were frozen in their interlocked position. _

_They kept moving from village to village, city to city, country to country, until they were so far away from that mountain that they could imagine falling off the edge of the world. All the while their family was growing, and when they finally settled, they had a brood of seven lively children. They never told anyone of their adventures._

_There are only three people who know of the story of the huntsman's heart, and one of them didn't live to tell the tale._

It had been based on Snow White, the tale. He never forgot that tale. In his darkest moments, he would think that the huntsman was his father; the aunt was Bellatrix, and he would be the one to cut out the heart. He would have his happily ever after, no matter what he had to do.

And now, the huntsman just wouldn't die, and his love was in danger of being poisoned by taking a bite of the apple.

….

Hermione had noticed something had moved in Draco. The laughter seemed forced, the smile seemed to pain him, and the embrace almost killed him. When he didn't know she was there, it looked as if all hope was sucked from him. His posture was slack and the glint in his eyes was gone. She had held his hand and he winced. She looked down to see the red blisters on his finger tips.

…..

Draco tugged on his sleeves. His wrist hurt. Not the snake and skull, no, that didn't hurt, it was the red and white scars that deformed it that hurt. It was the thoughts behind those marks that hurt. He put his hand where his heart should be. He couldn't feel the beat. He knew it was there though. The blood that had pulsed out of the slit in his wrist told him so. The fact that every time he looked at Hermione it hurt, told him that his heart was there.

…...

Draco had no choice. He had to go with the plan; there would be no other way to protect her. He fiddled with the band around his finger. He lifted it off his finger and read one word that was engraved on the inside in Hermione's curly script: _forever_. It almost caused him to break down in tears.

He paced up and down the room of requirement, which had modelled itself to look like the Gryffindor common room, where his guests would feel most comfortable.

The door slipped open. Harry, Ginny, Blaise, Luna, Pansy and Ron all stepped in, their expressions were grave. He gestured for them to take a seat, opposite the lone arm chair he would be seated in. He didn't sit until all of them were sat. None of the seven friends were relaxed, all of them sat on the edge of their seats. The invitation hadn't exactly been decorated with unicorns of happiness. He sat and rubbed his hand over his face. He told them the plan.

"I'll have to obliviate her. I'll have to, for her own protection. He wants to kill her for-" He his perfect mask was ruined by the tear tracks running over his pale cheeks.

"I won't let him kill her because of me. He got close to it before. It won't happen again. I promised myself it wouldn't." Pansy got up to comfort him; he didn't accept or push away her embrace. The others made their way over, each adding to the hug, each holding hands with their loved ones. Ron and Pansy even held hands.

"You can't say a word. I have to tell her. You can't, please, please," he whispered, his voice was breaking.

"I want our last moments to be happy ones." All the girls were in tears. All the guys were speechless. He got up out of the embrace and tried to compose himself.  
"I told you so that our friendships weren't broken, and that you understand the necessity of her ignorance." Each friend promised not to tell. Each friend was thanked before the heart broken boy left the room.

"He truly loves her, doesn't he?" Ron said, in a hushed tone. He squeezed Pansy's hand.  
"More than words can express." Luna replied.

"There's a muggle saying, if you love something-" started Ginny

"You have to let it go." Harry finished.


	16. Simply Amazing

It was Valentine's Day. The castle had a pinkish glow to it, and everything was sickly sweet.  
Draco and Hermione's friends sat around the table, whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears. Only the girls noticed the absence of their friends, and even then they ignored it after a while, too focused on their boyfriends.

….

Draco lay next to Hermione, holding her close.

Her eyes blinked open, and he swore there was no sight more beautiful. She kissed him. He continued to look at her after they broke the kiss. He kissed her cheeks and nose and lips. She rolled over on her back. The sun rays that filtered through the curtains: lighting her face so she looked like an angel. He looked at her and whispered a spell. Hermione gazed up at the words floating in the air. Images and memories played on the wall like a projection, all from his memory.

_Her head is on my chest, sun comes rolling in  
We are lost in these covers, and all I feel is love  
I kiss your each inch of your face, which is beautiful in every way._

I'm a man that doesn't believe in much  
but I'll be damned, if I don't believe in us.  
We used to fight and curse

_Now I'm making love to you  
Promise me you'll never change.  
__**The first time they kissed showed on the wall.**_

_She's not perfect, but she's worth it  
__**It showed them at the lake when she showed him the scar.**__  
She's every breath I breathe, she's the life of me_

_I know I might not deserve it  
But she loves me, and it's simply amazing,_

Your a work of art, and I can't help but stare  
With eyes filled with love, as warm as the earth,  
She knows me better, than I know myself.

_**Her defending him by punching Ron.**___

I'm a man, that don't believe in much  
But I'll be damned if I don't believe in us  
Like when I said I loved you for the first time  
And the tears dropped from your eyes  
Don't you ever change

_**It showed the two on Draco's broom**___

There is nothing, in this world  
That can keep me away from you  
And there's nobody who could ever compare to you

The last words quickly disappeared. Though they didn't escape Hermione's notice. __


	17. Obliviate

"Ron, tell her the necklace is from you, if she asks. Don't say about the ring. I went home for the holiday. You understand? Only tell her if she asks."

…

Draco entered Hermione's room, silent as a ghost. She watched her strumming on her guitar. She had been so happy since Valentine's. He had wanted some of the last memories he had of her to be happy.

It was the day people were leaving for Easter. Hermione was staying, and she believed Draco was too. They were the head's after all. He heard the last of the carriages leave. Their friends were in those carriages, they were the only ones not looking so extremely happy about the mounds of chocolate they would get that holiday. He walked up by her and tapped her on the shoulder. She placed down the guitar and stood up to face him. He pulled her into a tight embrace. Her face fell when she saw his wand in his hand.

"Draco, what is it?" she stepped forward and held his hands in hers. He looked pained.  
"We have to talk." He whispered. She recoiled. She knew what that meant. She reached for her wand in her back pocket.  
"You're in danger Hermione." She shook her head.  
"My father has returned. He will kill you once he finds out about us." She pursed her lips, refusing to believe it.  
"He can't. He's dead. I can protect myself. You can protect me." He thought processes just fell out of her mouth. It sounded as if she was pleading, and it broke his heart. He shook his head.  
"I'm going to have to obliviate you, Mione. It's the only way I can't hurt you anymore." His solid expression crumpled.  
"NO! Not after all we've been through. Not after you fixed me. I can't break again. I won't let you break again." Her voice went from a scream to almost silence.

He stood back and pointed his wand at her. "I'm sorry, my Mione. I truly am sorry."

He fired the spell as she said three simple words. I love you. There was an explosion of magic between the two. They flew backwards at the force. Their rings glowed. Draco rose, picked up Hermione and placed her on the bed. He left the room before she woke up. Blaise and Pansy were waiting for him outside. He walked straight past them, not letting them she his tear-stained face. She would remember her new found friendships, just not the relationship most dear to her heart.

Hermione woke and cried. She couldn't understand why. She simply woke and walked out of the head's dorms, where Ginny, Harry, Ron and Luna were waiting for her. She curled up and cried in their embrace. All of them didn't say a word about why she was crying, and just shuffled her back to the privacy behind the portrait.

…

In the embrace they shared, Draco had charmed the locket not to open until they were no longer in danger. It would know when this was, as he had connected it to the Weasley's clock. When the locket opened, she would remember all he had made her forget. Molly simply stared at the two hands, pointing to mortal danger. Ginny had told her what Draco had said. Draco's name half faded, just as Fred's had. She couldn't watch anymore. She couldn't lose another two children.

…

The explosion between them had been one that showed old magic come into play. The words said by Hermione and been fired through her wand, and had collided with Draco's spell, giving them a special connection. Though she could not remember the good times with him, she could feel when he was in need, similar to when I mother knows her child is in need. All she knew was that it wasn't easy to understand, so she wouldn't try, and would just accept.

…...

Draco growled as a few hairs were plucked from his head.  
"Polyjuice is a marvellous thing, isn't it son," the elder Malfoy said, a little too light heartedly for the situation. Draco spat. He was tied to a chair in his own home. He had only just regained consciousness. He had apparated back to the manor, where he knew his father would have been. He was swiftly knocked out upon arrival and now, he was watching his father drop the last ingredient into his polyjuice potion.  
"It is in fact, why I am still alive." Draco's jaw set as he watched his father drink from the cauldron.  
"A very special friend of mine offered to drink a polyjuice potion to become me. He was kissed. Not me." A dry laugh left his lips as he morphed into Draco. Draco knew that when Lucius said offered, he meant was forced. He knew the very special friend, was his Mr Zabini.  
"It's quite oxymoronic," Lucius mused, adjusting to his younger self. "A kiss means love and death."  
"I bet you kissed mother." Said Draco, playing on Lucius's words.  
"What a clever boy!" Lucius teased, ruffling his son's hair. "But no, a simple spell would be more…" he pretended to struggle to think of a word.  
"Humane." Draco's mother had often used that word when reprimanding her husband about his bad treatment of the house elves. He had slapped her for it. Oh, the cruel irony.

…..

Hermione had popped into the burrow to visit Ginny one afternoon. "I wish someone looked at me the way Harry looks at you." She said when they had gone to Ginny's room. Ginny had just run out to the bathroom in tears.

Hermione asked Harry about it, he simply shook his head and told her she needed to get back to Hogwarts. Hermione was astounded.


	18. Little Shadows

_**The Daily Profit**_

_A picture has been released to the media showing a suspicious figure at the death scene of four muggles and three muggleborns. The blurred picture seemed to look like Mr Draco Malfoy, who only just escaped imprisonment in Azkaban at the beginning of July. He is shown gulping down a drink in a flask. His intentions are undoubtedly the same as his father's were, or to indeed avenge his father, and mother (Narcissa recently passed away.)  
Aurors are tracking the remaining Malfoy._

Below was a blurred moving image of Malfoy turning his head, his hood falling off. He lifted his hood and gulped back contents of the flask.

"I can't believe you could ever be friends with him," Hermione muttered, folding the morning paper and putting it in her bag. She had a feeling it may be useful. She looked up at Blaise and Pansy, who had a look of pity in their eyes. That was the only way everyone had been acting around her. Sad and pitiful. That is, all apart from Ron. He seemed, okay. She guessed it was because he didn't want to lose her again.

….

Draco rubbed his wrist. It stung from the sudden exposure to air. The red welt marks ringed his bony arms, were the chains and ropes had been attached. His father let him walk around the dungeon once in the night, for an hour. His wand was charmed to constantly say two feet from him. Just out of his reach. There was an apple in the corner. It was one of the only sources of food his father supplied him with. One apple a day keeps the healers away, his father had told him, his voice dripping with sarcasm. A small pile of the apple cores was forming. A bowl of water lay next to it. That was refreshed each day, and each day it was left untouched. It had been like that for a week. The only reason his father was keeping him alive was for the polyjuice potion. He had been posing as Draco, committing horrid crimes.

Suddenly the chains slithered towards him like snakes and recoiled themselves around his arms. He was pulled to the ground, falling forward onto his knees, his back bent, spine prominent. Tears dropped to the floor, cleansing the dirt.

…..

Hermione had only just noticed she couldn't open the locket. She couldn't touch the clasp or a heat would scold her finger tips. No amount of spells could remove the permanent lock. Also, blank parchment littered her wall of stuff. She didn't know why, but she couldn't bear to take them down. There were a couple of random pictures of her around the common rooms. What was going on?

She gazed at the newspaper clipping she had enlarged-the one showing the image of Malfoy. She couldn't quite put her finger on why or how, but she could tell it wasn't Malfoy. Something was amiss and she, Hermione Granger, the brains of the Trio, couldn't solve the puzzle.

Hermione walked down the corridor, her robes billowing out behind her. As she went by first years would wave at her or whisper to their friends about her, older years would greet her and some would scowl. All she had to do was look them in the eye to show them their place. But there were other looks too. The looks questioned the empty space next to her. The eyes that could she something she couldn't. It was disconcerting to say the least. Even the teachers stared not at her, but next to her.

One little first year, seemed to want to talk to her and then decide against it every time she passed her. It was easy to know which of the eleven year olds it was. She had fair skin and black, shiny hair, clipped back with a huge blue bow, and a fringe. Her blue eyes were startling. It would have been a little disconcerting to know someone was watching you, to all those that weren't Hermione Granger. Her curiosity almost killed her several times, but this time she needed to know what the little girl found so fascinating, and what she found so fascinating about the little girl.

….

Draco was desperate. He needed to be released; he needed to keep her safe. He felt he would die if he didn't. His father would watch him struggle some days, and laugh. _The sadistic bastard_. If only Draco had killed him when he had the chance, then none of this would be happening. _If only. If only._ He wept. He vowed he would kill his father.

…

"Alright," Hermione snapped, turning to her shadow: the little first year. "What is it you want, little shadow?" Hermione didn't know her real name, so she used her little pet name that she'd come up with.  
"My name is Lucilla," She said curtly. "I'm the first year that passed you and Ginny talking about-" she suddenly decided against what she was about to say. "I wanted to ask- can you see what's wrong with this image?" Hermione was astounded as the girl held the newspaper clipping of Malfoy's picture in front of Hermione.  
"Meet me in the library at eight this evening." Hermione noticed the girl was about to complain about curfew. She reminded Hermione of herself at that age. "You'll be with me so I can get you out of curfew detentions etc." She seemed to smile.  
"Thank you Hermione!" she said brightly, skipping away. Only once McGonagall walked passed Hermione did the head girl understand the sudden change in attitude the girl displayed. Lucilla turned back once when she heard Hermione say  
"See you then, Little Shadow." She glared with mock disdain and Hermione laughed.  
"Big things come in small packages." She called, leaving an air of mystery behind her.

…

"I can't stay long, I'm meant to be meeting a teacher for extra lessons," Lucilla said to Hermione.  
"I was your age too, extra lessons means detention when you are clever."  
"Don't go all wise owl on me," Lucilla replied with a smirk.  
"What was it then Little Shadow?" Lucilla handed Hermione a little piece of parchment.

_A potion to conceal a chamber a secrets  
was brewed, and went horribly wrong.  
But if someone brewed that potion which was just horribly perfect,  
Then the consequences could be perfectly horrid. _

_(It took me five minutes on the way over. I know you like a challenge, but this shouldn't prove too difficult.)_

"How did you know about the polyjuice-" Hermione looked up to see Little Shadow gone.  
"The darkness of the Shadow always brings the light."

…  
**I have a certain feeling that a certain two people may recognise a certain character! Bisbee x **


	19. The Tears of Angels

Draco lay curled in the corner of a dark dungeon. His weakened body shivered; though it wasn't cold. It was so dark. So dark. The stench of overripe apple filled his nose, and his mouth tasted of blood.  
He winced as light came streaming through the now open door. After his eyes had adjusted to the new brightness, he saw the outline of a person. It seemed to be the image of an angel. How wrong he was. It was the image of a demon; a demon that was a mirror image of him. A swift kick and a yank of his hair was all he received from the 'angel' before the light was, again, shut out. Only then did Draco do what Malfoy's never did. He cried. He cried out of self pity. He cried for his Hermione.  
He needed a plan. He was desparate.

…

Hermione was conflicted. She felt a pulling in her chest every time she passed Malfoy's room. It was strange. It was the feeling you get when you see a picture of someone you used to be friends with, or someone dead. It was longing. But that was wrong. You don't long for someone you hate. For someone who is hurting other people. You don't long for demons. But he wasn't a demon; she would hear a small voice in the back of her head say. That's not him. It would be repeated over and over each time she read about a muggle killing. What was she meant to do? She would think to herself during sleepless hours lying in bed. She didn't know who was using the potion. She didn't know where he was. She couldn't even go to the library for answers. She needed to know more.

...

Draco slumped, panting. He wasn't good at wandless magic and was even worse at wordless magic. But he had managed it. A hole in the wall, big enough for a small bird to pass through, drafted in a cool breeze and moonlight. He used the same spell that he had used on the last morning with Hermione. The words were riddled with as many spells he could use and think of. He needed all the help he could get. Even his voice was hoarse and barely a whisper, but the words formed in the mist none the less. That is the sign of a broken man. He watched them fly in the direction of Hogwarts, and set to fixing the hole in the wall. He sighed as the last shaft of moonlight disappeared.  
He had a rescue plan. He just hoped it would work.

…

Hermione woke to a tapping on her window. She mumbled a complaint about insane people being nocturnal domesticated animals, like owls. She was shocked to see not an owl, words flying in to her room, and then disappearing once she had read them.

_On the other room I see  
A mirror image of me  
I guess that's possible too  
But I thought this can't be true  
And I moved to the manor, London, on the Bakerloo,  
where ever to get away from you  
Oh but that one night  
Was more than just right  
I didn't leave you cause I was all through  
Oh I am overwhelmed, and frankly scared as hell  
Because I really, really need you_

_On the downside of an upward spiral  
My love for you went viral  
And I loved you every mile I drove away  
But now here you are again  
So let's skip the "how you been" And  
get down to the "more than friends" at last  
_

_Oh but that one night  
Is still the highlight  
I needed you when I came to  
and I am overwhelmed, and frankly scared as hell  
And I really, really need you_

_Please believe when you see,  
There's nothing up my sleeve but love for you  
And a little time to get my head together too_

_On the other room I see  
A mirror image of me  
I guess that's possible too  
But I thought this can't be true  
And I moved to the manor, London, on the Bakerloo,  
where ever to get away from you  
Oh but that one night  
Was more than just right  
I didn't leave you cause I was all through  
Oh I am overwhelmed, and frankly scared as hell  
Because I really, really need you_

_This is not a drive by._

_DM x_

Hermione's hand had drifted up to the locket. When she touched it, a tingling sensation passed down her fingertips through her arm, straight to her head. It was a memory; but not hers.

_Pale fingers gingerly opened the letter, to see tiny, broken, scrawl. It informed him his mother had died-suddenly. It told him-_

_The dark lord rises again. _

Hermione grabbed her wand and sprinted along corridors; her dressing gown billowing out behind her, her white slippers muffling her loud footsteps. The rain hurtled through the sky outside the windows, thunder rumbled and lightning cracked. The heavens angels are spilling their tears, stamping their feet and throwing spears of fire; her mother would have said. The portraits grumbled as the bright light at the tip of her wand flew past. She didn't even stop to contemplate the cold she felt as she hurtled through the ghosts. Her jaw was set and the fiery determination in her eyes made her look dangerous. Dangerous like someone gone insane. The pyjamas didn't help.

...

Minerva had fallen asleep, her cheek lying on the inky parchment she had been writing. The peaceful slumber ended abruptly when the head girl burst in, in her pyjamas. Miss Granger stormed over to the fireplace. Minerva smiled at the sight. Hermione Granger: The angry toddler. The headmistress's smile disappeared when she saw the girl's expression. (Hermione had noticed the backwards print on the headmistress's wrinkled cheek, but didn't say a word. There was no time for anything.)Before she could even start to berate her for entering during the wee hours of the morning, uninvited and undressed, the young witch was being engulfed by green flames. Miss Granger's words rang in her ears.

"Did she just bark: Malfoy Manor?" questioned the portrait of Snape.


	20. Fix you

Hermione closed her eyes to regain her balance. When she opened them, all she saw was grey. The room had not changed from the last time she had been there. Weak light from the night sky strained to come through the filthy windows. As she walked, footprints were left in the layers of dust and dirt. Blood still stained some of the walls and floor. Some of it could have been hers. The fire place she had stepped out of was the only thing stopping the room from seeming like a stone box. Even then, it was covered in soot and was grey, like everything else. Only now, a few green embers burned in the giant hearth. As Hermione stole across the room, the memories played through her head, like a silent movie.

_Green flashes missed her by an inch. Bellatrix cackled silently. Faces were forced into screams. Glinting metal._

She gripped her locket for comfort. When she touched it, a tingling sensation passed down her fingertips through her arm, straight to her head. It was a memory. A memory of a dream.

_Her crazed face disappeared and disintegrated as her master had. Bellatrix Lestrange had never died before Hermione in the dream. She was bought into the strong arms of … she couldn't tell. _

She still couldn't tell.

…..

The wand was inches from his nose. Ice blue glared into grey(the latest dose of polyjuice potion was starting to wear off) and it was a last act of defiance.  
"If you kill me, there will be no way to hide behind my body." The youngest Malfoy said, in a matter of fact way that earned him a slap. The hand that hit him was already turning wrinkled.  
"You've gotten weak!" Draco jested, "When I was young it hurt more!" Another slap echoed in the tiny room. He was earning himself time, even if it was not the _easiest_ way of doing so.  
"Of course I'm not going to kill you, boy, merely…play with my broken toy." His were eyes sinking into his skull. Draco's expression was blank, like a porcelain doll, but, if you looked closely, which the elder Malfoy did not, you could see fear in his eyes.  
_Hurry Hermione._

…..

The silence echoed Hermione's ears as she flew through the corridors. _Down_ she suddenly thought. It was the only logical thing to think. She had been up, checked left and right and behind, but not down. _But how do you get down? _ She went outside. There was no way down, inside. The clouds were circling above here, like crows. She searched the grounds and came to a flower garden. The flora was dead, of course, but it caught her eye. In the centre was a large fountain. It was similar to the 'Magic is Might' statue that had been in the ministry. It was not that that she focused on though. It was the plant encompassing it. Devils snare.

_That is how you get down. Clever, for a stupid death eater, I guess._ She thought, an almost smile lighting up her eyes.  
_I'm coming, Draco._

…..

Lucius didn't notice the body slipping through the ceiling, but Draco did. First came the muddy white slippers, and gradually, a head full of bushy hair. She swung from the living ceiling; he could see the cogs turning in her head, planning how to get them both out alive. He had noticed the slight panic when she had first caught site of the two Malfoy's, identical twins, if you couldn't see the aging face of Lucius. It had disappeared in a flash. She dropped to the floor, her wand between her death, assuming a position that a cat would before pouncing, or a runner, waiting for the start of a race. Lucius heard the gentle thud, much to Draco's dismay.  
The frail man whipped out his wand and aimed a spell at Hermione, but she was easily able to roll out of the way and assume her original position. She sent a few simple spells his way, careful not to hit Draco. Lucius' eyes lit up at the thought of an easy opponent. Lucius stunned her, or so he thought.  
Draco had seen her pull this stunt in many a duel at school. She let them think she was easy, let them 'stun' her and then would stay, completely still, until the opponent was close enough for her to hit them with a strong spell, and not miss. He had been a victim of that trick once.  
Lucius strode over to her, laughing a dry, throaty laugh. It made his whole body shake.  
"Little mudblood, trying so hard to save another soul-" those were his last words. He disintegrated, just as Bellatrix had, just as Voldemort had. The ashes flew up through the devils snare. They scattered in the wind, so his dark, heartless soul would never have any rest.

…..

Hermione dropped her wand; the clatter was the loudest noise in that room. He raised an eyebrow as she hurried over to him. She went back and picked up her wand and face-palmed, walking back over to the boy. Draco tried to laugh at the gesture, but it hurt. When she saw that, her expression grew worried and she hurried over to her patient, examining the wounds and healing them, one by one. She whispered the word sorry, every time a wound knitted together, every time a bone cracked back into place, every time a scar faded. She sang as he healed.

_And the tears come streaming down your face  
When you lose something you can't replace  
When you love someone, but it goes to waste  
Could it be worse? _You have no idea, Draco thought.

_Lights will guide you home  
And ignite your bones  
And I will try to fix you_

_And high up above or down below  
When you're too in love to let it go  
But if you never try you'll never know  
Just what you're worth_

_Lights will guide you home  
And ignite your bones  
And I will try to fix you_

A scar had formed just above his left eyebrow, and she decided she would leave that one. He sat up, flexing his muscles, as if they were new to him. She sat slightly away from him, allowing him to test out his new fixed muscles. When he was able to stand, he shuffled along the wall, using it as a support. He dropped to the floor and gathered her into a bear hug. She hugged him back and the two knelt, supplying comfort for each other. Draco felt a drop on his cheek and turned to look and Hermione, who had tears streaming over her cheeks. He held her as she stuttered.  
"Not in all those years of war did I kill a person, not it all those years." He held her face and wiped the tears away with his thumbs.  
"A person has a heart and soul. That did not." He hugged her again. They looked like discarded ragdolls in that dimly lit box of a room. The children sat in embrace. They were unbreakable.


	21. Again

The next morning the two turned up in the great hall for breakfast, Draco leaning on a walking stick, Hermione by his side to help him. All were silent as they went to sit down with their friends, who were all too glad to see Draco and Hermione together. Soon the noise in the great hall crescendo-ed back to its normal decibel level and the friends were caught up in conversation. No one asked Draco about what happened. Only Luna mentioned the scar on Draco's face.  
"It's dangerous," she said, in a way that made Draco blush with embarrassment and Blaise clench his fist. The others just smirked and failed to suppressed giggles, which immediately cooled down the tension.  
"Pass the jam, would you, Hermione?" Hermione passed the jar of gooey red conserve, and then stopped, just before he could take it.  
"You just called me Hermione." She said, weary. Ginny had tears was about to start up again with the giggling. Harry thought it was worth joining in.  
"That is your name, isn't it Granger?" Draco snatched the jam and spooned a huge amount of jam onto his toast. That was all it took for everyone to shake with laughter. Hermione couldn't understand what was so funny, but she was sure it was to do with the feeling she had that that had happened before.  
"Besides," he whispered, only so she could hear, "Surely we should be on a first name basis, after yesterday." She nodded, and he winked. "Meet me out by the lake, after first lessons?" She smiled widely and nodded.

….

Draco was sitting; leaning against the tree trunk, like the first time they met there, his walking stick beside him was the only difference. They sat in silence for a while, watching the lake's wave's splash against the bank.

"The prince is meant to save the princess, not the other way around. You didn't have to save me." He said, it was a teasing comment, but said in a sullen tone. Hermione was determined to be cheerful and so she said.  
"I had to save you, boys are useless, and they can't do anything for themselves. They need _help_." "That's not true-" he started.  
"Yes it is. Why do you think I stayed with Harry and Ron all those years? The would have been dead in three seconds flat without _moi."_ She said, matter-of-factly, pointing at herself.  
"Fair point," Draco admitted defeat.  
"Anyway, I did want to."

Hermione's hand had drifted up to the locket. When she touched it, a tingling sensation passed down her fingertips through her arm, straight to her head. It was a memory.  
_Then he took her hand off his shoulder got up and left with four short words "I did want to." _She shook her head.  
"What's wrong?"  
"That's happened before." He smirked.  
"I thought so too."

…

Hermione sat in her room, writing down the lyrics to a song.

_No scientists, or biology  
It's obvious, when he's holding me  
It's only natural that I'm so affected_

_And my heart won't beat again  
If I can't feel him holding me  
No need to question, I already know_

_It's in his DNA  
And he just takes my breath away  
I feel it every day,  
Not hard to understand  
Perfect in every way  
I see it in his face  
Nothing more to say_

_It's the blue in his eyes that helps me see the future  
Fingerprints that leave me covered for days,  
Now I don't have any first degree  
But I know, what he does to me  
No need to work it out, it's so familiar_

_And my heart won't beat again  
If I can't feel him in my veins  
No need to question, I already know  
It's in his DNA_

_And he just takes my breath away  
I feel it every day, and that's what makes a man  
Not hard to understand  
Perfect in every way  
I see it in his face  
Nothing more to say_

She stuck it up on the wall next to a blank piece of parchment. She couldn't remember why she had them up there, but she couldn't bear to take them down. It was like the pictures. There was one picture, taken with a magical camera. She, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Pansy, Luna and Blaise were smiling and laughing, and her photo-self was staring into a blank space every now and again, with an expression of love filling her smile. No one was looking at her returning the look. The space looked like a person should be there, and she couldn't remember who. Noticing the time, she got up and left for patrols.

Draco snuck into the room and left a note on her pillow.


	22. Remembering and Rephrasing

It was late when Hermione returned. She could here Draco's snuffling snores from across the hallway. It made her smile. She kicked off her shoes and shed her cloak. She fell back onto the bed. Her hand landed on something: a note. She sat up to read it.

"_One more way to rephrase love." _An image of her locket was beneath it. She unclipped the locket from around her neck and pressed the clasp, to her surprise it opened to reveal a tiny photograph. It was of her and Draco, on a broom. They were looking and each other as if they were the only two people in the world, and he was wiping a tear from her face. She dropped the note and locket onto the bed, and looked up. Gradually, inky words were appearing on the blank pieces of parchment that decorated her wall. Hermione watched in awe and read each one. Every word bought another memory. In the photo frames, another figure formed- Draco. Suddenly, her gaze of love made so much more sense.

She scrabbled through her draws and found a quill and parchment. She ripped off a corner and wrote:

"_Other ways to rephrase love- need, addiction, bravery, déjà vu._" On the rest of the paper she wrote down another set of lyrics to Love Story by Taylor Swift.

Below she wrote:

She realises she knew him from a lifetime ago. Like I know you.

Hermione rolled them both up and tied them in green and red string. The necklace was once again around her neck. She rubbed her engagement ring. She crept into Draco's room and laid the note on his bedside table. His cane was leaning by his bed. She thought of John Watson.

…

Hermione sat with Ron and Pansy and the end of the Gryffindor table at breakfast, so if Draco came down he could sit next to her. I was right when I said they should get together, she mused, noticing the entwined hands of the two opposite her.

….

Draco woke up to see a scroll of parchment next to his bed. He rubbed his face, banishing sleep. I'll look at it later, he thought. He sat up and reached for the cane next to him. He didn't need it much anymore, but it was useful to scare first years with, and it had the advantage of being able to get through corridors without so much of a shove. He looked at his watch, a present Hermione had given him.  
_You're always late, so this may be useful._ She had said, securing it onto his wrist.  
And she was right; as always. He was always rushing because he was late. He was late now. He changed into his school robes and grabbed his school bag. He left for breakfast, forgetting his cane.

…

"Hey Draco," Hermione smirked as he sat down next to her. _So it seems she hadn't read the note, _he thought, noticing the closed locket. _Don't mention it yet._  
"Hey Granger," he teased. It was affectionate rather than hurtful, and Hermione new that, but still her face fell a little when he turned away. _It looks as if he hasn't read the note yet.  
"_What are you looking for?_" _Draco said to Ron, who was over exaggerating his movements and stroking his imaginary Dumbledore-beard with furrowed eyebrows.  
"Your cane, Draco," Ron said, smiling. Draco laughed.  
"Guess I forgot it today." Draco replied, with a wink in Hermione's direction. She smiled but seemed disappointed. _I'll ask about it later._

After lessons before lunch, Draco made his way towards his room to dump his stuff. He dropped his books on his bed and was about to leave when he remembered: the note! He went back and picked it up. His eyes widened as he read her handwriting. He dropped the note and sprinted out of the head's dorms, knocking down his cane, running past other students. Some of the first year's expressions would have been worth laughing at but he couldn't think of that right now.

He found his girl striding across the courtyard towards him. She barely had time to register he was there before she was being gripped in a tight embrace.  
"Let go of me!" was all she could manage before his mouth came crashing down on hers. She knew who it was by then. When they finally parted he looked down at her and smiled.  
"I take it you read my note." She said before kissing him again. A few fourth year boys wolf-whistled as they went past. Draco flipped the finger at them, not breaking the kiss.

"Are you quite finished?" McGonagall said, startling the head students. The two blushed furiously.  
"I suggest, you should go and get some lunch." She smirked and turned, her robes flying about behind her.

"I think lunch would be good," said Hermione, grasping her fiancées hand.

…

News travelled fast in schools, and so by the time the two entered the great hall for lunch, they were swamped in hugs from all angles.

"Finally!" screeched Ginny and they all laughed.

…

**In case you guys hadn't noticed, I am a Sherlockian. I am working on a story at the moment for all those in THE fandom!**


	23. Thank you from me- an author's last note

A thank you.

I just wanted to say a special thanks to Allic Uy and vickifay to say thank you for all your support throughout the tale!  
Another thank you to all those who reviewed! (OMG I hit 50 and passed!) and all those who simply took the time to read!

for the last time on this story, Bisbee xxx


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